The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Known motor vehicle “hill hold” technology provides for a vehicle stop hold when the vehicle reaches a speed of zero mph and when the vehicle is oriented in an uphill condition. This allows the driver to remove pressure from the brake pedal without the vehicle subsequently rolling backwards. These systems normally lock the transmission by applying an internal frictional engagement member and have a time dependent operating state as they are not intended for continuous or long term operation of the vehicle. Such systems are not functional when the vehicle is positioned at a level or flat state, or in a down-hill orientation, such as may be encountered when the vehicle is in a traffic jam for extended periods of time or waiting at lengthy red lights. During this time, as long as the transmission remains in the drive position the driver must either maintain pressure on the brake pedal, apply a hand brake, or manually reposition the transmission selector to a “Park” position to prevent vehicle forward creep. The vehicle will creep forward at slow speed if none of the above actions are taken. Continuous application of brake pressure for extended periods of time may lead to driver fatigue. The alternative may require frequent shifting into and out of park or frequent engagement and release of the parking brake if traffic moves at erratic intervals.
Accordingly, there is room in the art for an automatically engaged vehicle stop system that allows the driver to remove his or her foot from the brake pedal when the vehicle is stopped with the engine running, on substantially flat ground or in an uphill or a down-hill orientation without application of a hand brake or repositioning the transmission to the park position.